China Faults Oversight in Blast at Auto-Parts Plant

Work-Safety Agency Identifies Executive as Suspect; Also Blames Local Authorities

Updated Aug. 4, 2014 9:59 a.m. ET

SHANGHAI—China partly blamed inadequate supervision by local authorities for a blast that killed at least 75 people at a company that supplies parts for cars from General Motors Co. and other auto makers, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

An investigation showed the blast was caused by excess level of dust that exploded after exposure to a heat source, Xinhua said in a post on its microblog account. More than 180 other workers were injured after the explosion on Saturday at Kunshan Zhongrong Metal...